John Cowan with Darin & Brook Aldridge

Overview

John Cowan

John Cowan, also known as the “Voice of Newgrass,” has been singing his heart out for thirty-five years, and his soaring vocals have only improved with time. A true innovator, John applies his powerful pipes to genres from country, bluegrass, and gospel to soul, jazz, and rock-and-roll – often within the space of a single concert. His ability to move fluidly through multiple styles, and carry mesmerized audiences on the journey with him, has set him apart as one of the most loved and admired vocal artists of his generation, not just by fans and critics but among fellow musicians as well.

Cowan’s rise to fame began in 1974 when he auditioned as the bassist for the then up-and-coming New Grass Revival. Needless to say, John was offered the gig, but it wasn’t until he’d accepted the job that the shy 22-year-old casually mentioned that he could sing. With his distinctive, rock-tinged tenor vocal and heart-thumping electric bass, John, along with fellow New Grass Revival band mates Sam Bush, Courtney Johnson, and Curtis Burch, and later Bela Fleck and Pat Flynn, introduced a new generation of music fans to an explosive, experimental and ultimately, eponymous brand of bluegrass. The “newgrass” sound spawned popular jam bands such as Leftover Salmon and Yonder Mountain String Band in addition to shaping the sensibilities of country megastars Garth Brooks, the Dixie Chicks, the Zac Brown Band, and Darius Rucker.

After New Grass Revival disbanded in 1990, John went on to record a series of critically acclaimed solo albums in addition to laying down guest bass and vocal parts on some 120 recordings for artists including Steve Earle, Bela Fleck, Alison Krauss, and John Prine. A few years later, John teamed up with Rusty Young of Poco, Bill Lloyd of Foster & Lloyd, and Pat Simmons of the Doobie Brothers in The Sky Kings, a widely successful country rock band. John’s newfound alliance with Pat Simmons gained him the role of bassist for the Doobie Brothers from 1992 through 1995, as well as a songwriting credit for “Can’t Stand to Lose” on the Doobie Brothers 2000 release Sibling Rivalry. 

Darin & Brooke Aldrige

Husband and wife duo Darin & Brooke Aldridge draw on the traditions of their native North Carolina, the savvy of a young, gifted band and their own dedication to ingenuity to create the most adventurous album of their career with their latest release, Faster & Farther.

 The duo has placed several tracks at the top of the charts on Americana/Roots, SiriusXM, Bluegrass and Gospel charts. They have received multiple nominations from the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America (SPGBMA) and Inspirational Country Music (ICM). Their music videos “Wildflower” and “Tennessee Flat Top Box” were heavily featured on outlets including CMT, CMT Edge, GAC, Bluegrass Ridge TV and The Bluegrass Situation. TV appearances include PBS, Great American Gospel, The Bluegrass Road, Presley’s Country Jubilee, RFD-TV, Rural-TV, Daystar Network, Blue Highways TV, Songs of the Mountain, Woodsongs and Music City Roots.

Both highly acclaimed vocalists in their own right, Darin and Brooke combine rich harmonies with impeccable musicianship to create the unmistakable sound that has made them one of the hottest young acts in acoustic music and they’ve surrounded themselves with a band of equally amazing pickers. Darin spent 6 years as a member of the acclaimed County Gentleman and is a highly sought-after multi-instrumentalist. Brooke has been lauded for having one of the most powerful voices in music of any genre.

Snapshots, their highly acclaimed previous album, made its debut at the #8 spot on The Billboard Bluegrass Album Chart in April of 2016 and by May the first single “Tennessee Flat Top Box” had claimed the #1 position on the Bluegrass Today Chart. They ended the year by placing two songs from the album at #1 and earning critical praise in Bluegrass, Contemporary Christian and Americana.

Their new project, Faster & Farther, their 7th album, is set to be released on February 10, 2017 on the Mountain Home Music Company label. It is rooted in the stellar musicianship of Darin and Brooke’s bluegrass and gospel background. Faster and Farther showcases appearances by special guest artists like New Grass Revival/Doobie Brothers legend, close friend, mentor and 2016 touring partner John Cowan, New Grass Revival member Pat Flynn, Country Music Hall of Famer and close friend Vince Gill, Union Station bassist Barry Bales and more. 

Darin and Brooke enjoyed the busiest touring year of their career in 2016 with shows pairing them with previously mentioned John Cowan for 26 theatre and high profile festival dates spanning the country, 16 theatre dates with Country Music Hall of Famer Jimmy Fortune, a Ryman appearance with Vince Gill and several festival/theatre stops with Pat Flynn. They also shared the stage with the likes of Nitty Gritty Dirt Band founding members John McEuen and Jimmie Fadden, Country/Bluegrass legend Marty Raybon, Platinum selling Country star John Berry and Blue Highway members Jason Burleson and Tim Stafford. 2017 will find them accelerating their touring, highlighted by a coveted main stage appearance at Merlefest as well as a repeat visit to Songs of the Mountain for a nationally syndicated PBS appearance.

The Aldridge’s are mainstays on radio charts with singles routinely maintaining top chart positions well after their release.